Navigating the Social Media-Sphere

It’s not news to anyone that social media has changed the way we communicate. The business world, particularly the professional services industry, continues to grapple with finding their place in the social media universe. I am constantly asked by clients about my thoughts on social media and its value for professional services organizations.

The answer is simple: you need to be there. It’s just a matter of sorting out what’s best for your organization and then making the most of it. As previously pointed out in a fellow blogger’s post, dead Twitter accounts and Facebook pages are of no use to those who found you on the Internet and are looking to “follow” or “friend” you. You can do damage to your image and brand if you are not continuously updating content with current and relevant information – don’t be among that body count.

Take baby steps. Evaluate your company’s goals and determine what platform best supports them, as well as what is realistic from a maintenance perspective. After you have dabbled, say in Facebook or LinkedIn – two of the more low maintenance sites, in my opinion, perhaps, your next move is a more aggressive Twitter campaign. Again, make sure you have the internal bandwidth to maintain your presence and do what works for your company.

And be aware that there will likely be some “old school” types that don’t believe in this evolving form of communication. You can bet that those naysayers will be left in the dust as a new generation of decision makers come up through the ranks, who were raised to communicate and develop relationships primarily on social media platforms.